Exercise device for strengthening of abdominal muscles

ABSTRACT

An exercise device for strengthening of abdominal muscles employing a resistance mechanism is disclosed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This claims priority from patent application No. PP 136-2006, filed Dec. 22, 2005 in the Slovak Republic, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to exercise device for strengthening of abdominal muscles employing resistance mechanism.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Abdominal muscles support the trunk, allow movement, and hold organs in place by regulating internal abdominal pressure. When these muscles are in poor condition, additional stress is applied to the spine as it supports the body and back injury or pain is more likely.

Exercises for strengthening the abdominal muscles range from simple sit ups and crunches, that requires almost no exercising device, to complex, expensive machines which are strengthening abdominal muscles in seated or laying in supine position.

Effective exercise for the abdominal muscles should strengthen abdominal muscles isolatedly without undesired stress to lower part of back and without employing hip flexors and use natural kinetic chain.

Many people suffer from pain of lower part of back and correct and effective strengthening of abdominal muscles could help.

Traditional sit-ups (where feet are anchored and the upper body is lifted from a reclining position) do not work correct muscles, so the abdominal muscles that support the spine remain weak. This exercise applies increased stress to the lower part of back.

Standard crunches performed while laying supine on the floor strengthen abdominal muscles isolatedly, but not in whole range of motion. Numerous abdominal exercise machines have been developed to strengthen abdominal muscles. Some machines have subjects in seated position while others mimic standard crunches in the supine position. However, substitution of muscles during use of these machines is common and hinders true abdominal strengthening of abdominal muscles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Above mentioned disadvantages are eliminated by an exercise device for strengthening of abdominal muscles. The device comprises a frame to which a press arm is connected rotatively in vertical plane, to the press arm resistance mechanism is connected, whereas the free end of the press arm may be moved in the range from the user's waist area to ankles.

The frame may be designed as portable or stationary— may be attached to the floor or to the wall. It is advantage when the portable frame is also collapsible.

The resistance mechanism may consist of a hydraulic system with adjustable resistance or also isokinetic resistance system. Resistance force produced by the resistance mechanism is applied only in direction against downward movement of the press arm and upward movement of the press arm is retarded by no resistance force.

The device strengthens abdominal muscles isolatedly without any undesired stress on the spine, i.e. the press arm is not loaded when it is lifted (upward movement) and thus no extra stress is applied to the spine as it is e.g. when lifting a weight. The device according to the invention does not use an eccentric abdominal muscles contraction, which eliminates onset muscle soreness and unhealthy stress on the spine of the users.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An exercise device for strengthening of abdominal muscles is explained in the drawings, where:

FIG. 1 shows a side view of the device and user, the device having portable collapsible frame;

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the device and user, the device having portable solid frame design; and

FIG. 3 shows a side view of the device and user of FIG. 2, the device further having a dynamometer measurement system.

FIG. 4 shows a side view of the device and user, the device having portable solid frame design and resistance mechanism is attached to the press arm from a position under the pivotal mount.

FIG. 5 shows a side view of the device and user, the device having portable collapsible frame and resistance mechanism is placed around pivotal mount of the press arm.

FIG. 6 shows a side view of the device and user, the device having portable solid frame design and resistance mechanism placed in pivotal pivotal mount of the press arm.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS AND OPERATION OF THE INVENTION

The exercise device for strengthening of abdominal muscles according to FIG. 1 comprises a collapsible frame 1 having a holder 1 a of a resistance mechanism 5, rear base 1 b and front base 1 c. All parts of the collapsible frame 1 are connected by central pivotal joint 2 and their position is secured by pin 3. Press arm 4 is, on its one end, rotatively mounted on the holder 1 a of the resistance mechanism. Resistance mechanism 5 is connected to the press arm 4. Resistance mechanism 5, in this embodiment, consists of a hydraulic system with adjustable resistance and is connected from the top side of the press arm 4, i.e. resistance mechanism 5 is attached over the pivotal mount 40 of the press arm 4.

In another embodiment, resistance mechanism 5 may be attached to the frame 1 and press arm 4 from the bottom of the pivotal mount 40, i.e. the resistance mechanism 5 is attached to the press arm 4 from a position under the pivotal mount 40 (See FIG. 4 for a side view of a solid frame version of the device and user, the device having a portable solid frame design and resistance mechanism is attached to the press arm from a position under the pivotal mount).

It is possible to design the device as shown in FIG. 2, where the holder 1 a with the press arm 4 and resistance mechanism 5 are attached to a solid portable frame 1. The device may be used also with feet support 7 and hips support 8 of user 6 to ensure correct position of the user 6 while bending forward.

In other embodiments, the isokinetic resistance system may be used as resistance mechanism 5. Resistance mechanism 5 may be also be placed in or around pivotal mount 40 of the press arm 4.

It is also possible to design the device with a vertically adjustable holder 1 a and thus the press arm 4 with resistance mechanism 5 may be adjusted according to the needs of the user 6, regarding his or her height.

When exercising, the user 6 pushes the press arm 4 with his or her arms kept straight while bending forward, acting against resistance force FR. Legs of the user 6 are positioned in front of the front base 1 c of the frame 1 of FIG. 1 (or in front of the hip support 8 of FIG. 2) and hips of the user 6 are pushed backward to the position until the trunk of the user is parallel to the floor.

As mentioned above, FIG. 4 shows a side view of the device and user, the device having a portable solid frame design and resistance mechanism is attached to the press arm from a position under the pivotal mount.

FIG. 5 shows a side view of the device and user, the device having a portable collapsible frame and resistance mechanism is placed around pivotal mount of the press arm.

FIG. 6 shows a side view of the device and user, the device having a portable solid frame design and resistance mechanism placed in pivotal pivotal mount of the press arm.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The exercising device according to this invention is designed for strengthening of abdominal muscles. If the press arm 4 with the resistance mechanism 5 is connected to dynamometer measurement system 20 (FIG. 3), it is possible to utilize the exercise device for measurement of abdominal muscles strength. 

1. Exercise device for strengthening of abdominal muscles, comprising: a frame to which a press arm is connected rotatively in a vertical plane, to the press arm a resistance mechanism is connected for exerting resistance force (F_(R)) for acting only in a direction against downward movement of the press arm, wherein a free end of the arm can move in the range of motion from a user's waist area to the user's ankles.
 2. The exercise device for strengthening of abdominal muscles according to claim 1, wherein the frame is portable.
 3. The exercise device for strengthening of abdominal muscles according to claim 1, wherein the frame is stationary.
 4. The exercise device for strengthening of abdominal muscles according to claim 2, wherein the frame is collapsible.
 5. The exercise device for strengthening of abdominal muscles according to claim 2, wherein the support frame is solid.
 6. The exercise device for strengthening of abdominal muscles according to claim 1, wherein the resistance mechanism comprises a hydraulic system with adjustable resistance or an isokinetic resistance system.
 7. The exercise device for strengthening of abdominal muscles according to claim 1, wherein the resistance mechanism consists of a hydraulic system with adjustable resistance or an isokinetic resistance system.
 8. The exercise device for strengthening of abdominal muscles according to claim 1, wherein the press arm and resistance mechanism are connected to a dynamometer measurement system.
 9. The exercise device for strengthening of abdominal muscles according to claim 1, further comprising a hips support.
 10. Exercising device for strengthening of abdominal muscles according to claim 1, further comprising a feet support.
 11. The exercise device for strengthening of abdominal muscles according to claim 2, wherein the resistance mechanism comprises a hydraulic system with adjustable resistance or an isokinetic resistance system.
 12. The exercise device for strengthening of abdominal muscles according to claim 2, wherein the resistance mechanism consists of a hydraulic system with adjustable resistance or an isokinetic resistance system.
 13. The exercise device for strengthening of abdominal muscles according to claim 2, wherein the press arm and resistance mechanism are connected to a dynamometer measurement system.
 14. The exercise device for strengthening of abdominal muscles according to claim 2, further comprising a hips support.
 15. The exercising device for strengthening of abdominal muscles according to claim 2, further comprising a feet support. 